DOCTOR WHO: RISE OF THE SMILERS
Chapter 7
Footsteps pounded on the stone floor of the government building loudly as Liz tried to find the Doctor. She'd heard his voice but didn't know where it was coming from. The Doctor had heard Liz for a brief moment earlier but with his mind focusing on saving Rory, he never followed that through. No-one was there to help him save Rory as the priority for the guards was shifting onto the streets.
"Please Rory, stay in there…" the Doctor said hopefully as he eventually found a deserted area in the building where he then layed Rory on the floor. He again just tried pumping his chest but he still found no signs of life. He just couldn't give up on his friend like this though at all and kept persevering.
"Doctor!" then called Liz's voice as she saw his tweed jacket from around the corner. "It's so good to see you-" but before she could finish her relieved sigh she saw the situation. "Oh god, let me help!" she commanded as the Doctor just feared the worst. He just sat on worried fearing that his friend was actually dead this time. He then just looked on as Liz pumped Rory's chest vigorously before then trying the kiss of life as Liz could tell the Doctor wouldn't have tried that yet, not unless it was the very last option. In Liz's eyes, it was the only option left and after several tries, Rory's hands began to twitch and suddenly he came back into life. All he could see was Liz and the Doctor peering over him, it looked very odd indeed.
"Your Majesty?" Rory said perplexed.
"Call me Liz….your majesty's far too formal!" Liz smiled.
"What happened?" Rory asked groggily.
"Ruth shot you with electricity…twice…" the Doctor answered simply. "It presumably stopped your heart…twice….you're a very lucky man once again Rory…"
"Did you say Ruth?" Liz asked. "As in Ruth Rathbourne?"
"If that's what her surname is then, yes…" the Doctor said. "She's in control of the Smilers…Malcolm's one of them."
"But she was a member of the brigade only a couple of weeks ago…" Liz pointed out. "That devious woman…"
"Well whatever she is, we need to get that control off her and help put Amy back to her old self…" the Doctor said as he helped Rory back to his feet.
"Amy's a Smiler now?" Liz asked. "I've missed lots haven't I?"
"Yes you have…" Rory sighed seriously as the colour came back into his face. He felt hazy but better now atleast but he was certain he could see Ruth looking on from the distance. Rory pointed her out to the Doctor and Liz and immediately Ruth hid from view.
"It's no use Ruth…you need to stop all of this…" commanded the Doctor.
"I order you to stop this Ruth…I'm your queen remember! Working against me is of no use…I control this planet, not you…" Liz added before bolts of electricity flew all around and soon the Doctor, Liz and Rory ducked and crouched before they ran as fast as they could. Bolt after bolt just narrowly missed them and Ruth was chasing after them too.
"You must understand there is good reason behind my ideology…" Ruth chanted as she commanded guards at her side. They chased and chased after the Doctor, Liz and Rory for what seemed like ages until all fell quiet. "Hopefully that is the last we see of them…" Ruth added as she commanded several more prompts into her tablet. Within an instant across the nation, the Smiler attack became even more fierce and strong. "Perfect…" Ruth smiled evilly.
"I've got to fight this, I can't give in…" Amy said to herself as her Smiler arms moved against her will. From reflections in the glass of shops as she passed by, she was still mainly recognisable as herself but she was slowly fading into a Smiler. Suddenly, one of many protruding weapons fired at random from all over Amy but thankfully for her they missed. People were panicking and rushing around all the streets and all Amy could do was cry. A single tear streamed down her mannequin face as she saw young and old turned seemingly into dust but also at the same moment becoming a Smiler. It was all getting too much for her but at times her mind said it was a good thing too. "Stop those thoughts!" Amy then screamed as all around her panic ensued…
"Sir, are you alright now?" Leeds asked cautiously to his Smiler-like boss. Both he and Malcolm had just been frozen for some time now; presumably it was a system error for Malcolm just as he was about to charge after the Cordale's and it was just sheer shock for Leeds.
"I am fine…" Malcolm's electronic voice replied. "I need to rid the land of imperfections. It is my duty."
"Sir, you don't need to, there's Smilers all around doing that for you. Stay here." Leeds said warily knowing that at any moment Malcolm could just go mad and he did.
"I MUST DO THIS!" he yelled as he swiped Leeds away with his arm before setting off. Leeds had crashed into a bookcase and was bleeding badly from the impact.
"Sir…" he tried to call but it was barely audible. He tried to call out again but soon he succumbed to being silent and lifeless…
The Doctor, Liz and Rory were just happy to be out of harm's way for now but soon the Doctor decided they needed to split up.
"I'll go after Ruth as she doesn't know me. Always a plus for now I suppose. Liz, you need to go to the conversion hub, it's not hard to miss as it glows bright red even from its outside. Just take this digital wand with you for backup."
"What am I doing there though?" Liz asked. "And what the hell is a poxy wand meant to do against an android upheaval? Am I meant to conjure up a resolution to it all?"
"Digital wand?" asked Rory. "What about the sonic?"
"That stays with me. The wand will keep a track of you and guide you. Also, I quite like its yellow display. The things you can win at funfairs these days, eh?" the Doctor joked before taking on a more serious tone. "Take this communicator aswell with you Liz…We need to be in contact with each other when needed. Good luck" the Doctor said as he handed both Liz and Rory a communicator from his cavernous tweed pockets.
"And what am I going to do exactly?" Rory asked.
"Find Amy…" the Doctor said simply. "And then take her to Liz….I promised we'll fix Amy and I won't let you down Rory…"
"Right…" said Rory as he set off at pace in search of his wife. The Doctor roughly knew where Ruth would be and set off in that direction while Liz tried to figure out the way to the conversion hub.
"It glows bright red…" she repeated to herself. "Can hardly miss it, but I can't find it, that's the issue…"
"It's this way ma'am…" then whispered a voice as she passed an unlit siding to a corridor.
"Who's there?" Liz asked. "I'm armed and I'm also your monarch." she added as two dishevelled figures came into view. It was Dennis and Helen and they looked shattered.
"I'm sorry about the plotting against you, but we're here to help you again…" Dennis said simply as he mopped his brow with a handkerchief.
"How can I trust you?" Liz asked. "You betrayed me…"
"Technically, only Dennis did…" Helen said defensively. "…but we've got a plan to fight the Smilers."
"Come this way and we'll show you…" Dennis said as Liz followed them down the darkening corridor…
Rory just kept looking on through the streets for his Amy, the Smiler with his wife's face. The thought of that was still far too odd to comprehend but he needed to find her. He had to be mindful all the time of not being caught by a Smiler aswell and this made it even more difficult.
"YOU ARE NOT PERFECT…" boomed several Smilers in unison towards Rory.
"Did anyone ever tell you you're not perfect yourselves?" he tried to joke to distract them but it didn't work, so he just had to keep running. He kept looking at his watch wondering if his Amy had changed fully into a Smiler yet and he rather hoped she hadn't.
"Imperfect human sighted…" commanded a voice into the mind of a Smiler. "He's an associate of the queen's…he must die…" they added as she smoothly disappeared yet again.
"Amy? AMY!" cried out Rory but he still couldn't find her anywhere and slowly he was losing faith in the Doctor's promise and in himself. Giving up is not something he'd ever consider when trying to find Amy but this was awful. As he carried on searching, a Smiler watched on from the distance. It was Amy but by now her voice was no longer hers. Some features remained on her face but they were minimal as she was now mainly a Smiler.
"R…r….r…" she stammered before her Smiler-self took control.
"What is that thing?" Liz asked as Helen and Dennis proudly showed off machinery to her. The Cordale's were mightily impressed with their find and knew some alterations would make it even better but Liz couldn't tell what it was at all and to many it would have just been something in the background, nothing to take too much notice of.
"It's a Smiler hub…" Dennis smiled. "We've spoken of these grandly many times before." Liz then began to remember as she could now make out the Smiler details on it. The hub was a small android walker made from the same technology as the Smilers. They were built by the previous administration as a safeguard to any Smiler revolution. With four turreted guns and legs that could run at pace, it was an incredibly handy tool for those in the know.
"My god…" she said.
"It can wipe-out several Smilers in one go, but it can only have one occupant." Helen added. Liz just smiled and immediately made her way to the cockpit.
"Ma'am…you can't be serious, surely?" Dennis asked.
"Oh yes…" Liz beamed widely. "My people are being murdered so I think I should be the one to lead the fight back. Liz 10 is on the charge!" she added as the hub woke into life and she set off to rid the wrongs of Bonsarviss…